Mounting clamp



June 3, i952 Q W, LA;v 2,598,704

MOUNTING CLAMP Filed Nov. 8, 1949 'El l *33E BY Z Patented june 3, i952j 1 UNITED STATES lPATENTf OFFICE# 2,598,704 f MOUNTING cLAMP" Guy W.Lai, Osborn, Ohio Application November s, 1949, serial No. 126,181

. 1 Claim.

amended April 30, 19.28;` .370 O. G. 757) 'I'he invention describedherein may be manufactured and used by or for the United StatesGovernment for governmental purposes without payment to me of anyroyalty thereon.

This invention relates to clamps and more particularly to instrumentclamps that are mountable on instrument panels and have means forquickly clamping or releasing instruments or other devices therein bythe operation of a single screw. I #According to the present invention,a split cylindrical member has a lug thereon for supporting it on aninstrument panel. Across the split portion vof the cylindrical member isapair `of vtoggleelements that are adjustablelrelative to each vother tocause the end portions of the cylindrical member to advance or retreatproducing a'change in diameter of the cylindrical member. While thecylindrical member can be forced to expand or contract radially byadjusting the relative position of the toggle element, as by a screw,the cylindrical member is preferably formed having a radial expansiveforce which will eliminate any lost motion in the toggle elements uponclamping or releasing a device. Although the invention shows anddescribes a cylindrical clamp that is quickly actuatable to releaseinstruments, or the like, the clamping member may be a band and takeother forms for clamping irregularly shaped objects, as desired. It istherefore an object of this invention to provide a clamping device thatis readily and kquickly actuatable by a single screw adjustable tochange the relative position of the toggle elements bridging the end ofthe clamping member to vary the area within the clamping member.

These and other objects and advantages will become more apparent as thedescription proceeds when taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawing in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the clamp showing the toggle powertransmitting arrangement;

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the clamp;

' and Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the clamp diametrically acrossfrom the toggle mechanism.

In order to accomplish rapid clamping action a pair of toggle devicesare used as shown in which a cylindrical member 5 is split parallel toits axis of curvature to form cylindrical wall end portions 5 and 1. Oneach cylindrical wall end portion is a block 8 and 9, respectively, thatis xed to the cylindrical member as by welding, riveting, or the like.The outer faces I0 and II,

respectively, of these blocks are flat and lie in the vsame plane. Y

'i -'On the face I0 of the block 8 are two links I5 and rlli-each having'an end thereofpivoted in longitudinal alignment to the block 8 byrivets, cap screws, or the like, I1 and I8, respectively. In likemanner, two such links I9 and 2U Yarepivoted to the block 9 on the faceII by rivet or cap screw means 2I and 22. V'Ihe free ends of the linksI5 and I9 are pivoted respectively to a block 23 at 24 and 25, and thefree ends ofvlinks I6 and 20 are pivoted respectively by rivets, 'capscrews, or the like, 26 and 21 to a block 28. `The pivotal points at 24and 25, I1 and 2l, I-8 and 22, and 26 and 21 all lie in radial planes ofthe cylindrical member 5 to permit the two blocks 23 and 2-8 to bevaried in their related distance along a lineparallel to the center lineor axis of the member 5 without any angular change or binding.

In order to drive the two blocks 23 and 28 to and from each other fascrew 39 is threaded through a screw threaded opening 3 I vin the block28 and has a shank portion 32 of reduced diameter extending through adrilled opening 33 in the block 23. The shank portion 32 of the screw 30has a circumferential groove outwardly from the screw threaded portion agreater distance slightly than the thickness/of the block 23 in whichgroove is a spring ring 34. By this arrangement, screw 30 is freelyrotatable but restricted against longitudinal movement iii-eitherdirection in the block 23.

On a portion of the cylindrical member 5. preferably diametricallyopposite the split thereof, is a mounting lug 36 that is welded,riveted, or otherwise secured to the outer surface of the member 5 nearthe front thereof as .shown in Figs. 2 and 3 for mounting the clamp onan instrument panel, or the like. 'Ihe lug 36 has an opening 31therethrough for a mounting screw or bolt. The material of thecylindrical member 5 may be bent to form the lug 36, and, likewise, thecylindrical member 5 may have the end portions 6 and 1 turned outwardlyor formed to make a reverse turn to replace the blocks 8 and 9 wheredesirable or expedient.

In order to permit instruments or other devices to be easily inserted inthe clamp the front peripheral portion of the cylindrical member 5 ischamfered inwardly at 38 which will direct the device installed to aIcentral aligned position. Once an instrument or other device to beclamped is positioned in the member 5 it is only necessary to rotate theclamping screw 30 clockwise, assum- 1 apart thebloeks' .8 and 9 on thecylindrical meine ber end portions 6 andi are moved towardV each otherthrough the links l5, I6, I9, and 2l).V Sincey19f-l- Y y xed at theother end of said band; and a there is considerable mechanicaladvantagein the togglearrangement and therclampingwscrewf- `the deviceclamped can be held securely,` andthe clampI is ,self looking to preventinadvertent re'- `lease. n' Y It Ymay readily be seen that the greaterYthe pitch of the threads the quicker the clamp -wuibe actuated to clampor releaseaydevicefperturn of the clamping screw 30. It may also bereadilyL realized that a cam Amay be used to adjust the 2o relativedistance of; the block- 23, and 28.#Sin

screw threads are essentially carnsforfinslines *on which a-.gfcllowerisrai'rswdor ioweredf 'iheopera-Y `ti'nnesueed ofthe clamp canbefchaneedat'the-will .lv-of-frthetymakery merely lays-changing tithe;thread 25 pitch@` Aeclampngf screw fe-3D fha-vine Y a lettthand threadedportion; and a .fright hand-thmadhd'p91-v ticrrzofftdierentdiametersrmay-be used inthe :blocks Maand-2B :to cause thefblols-Z fiotravel Y lonfithe. clampingscrew.andthuseincrease theelost 30 "ingo-s:parting speed pf'theeblocksza andiniav The yscrewforfcam meansgneedonlye'operate to force the blocks "23V and 28 aoartesnce the cylindricalvmembere 5 may be. and preferably V`istfornried i-tO t have tan Openingzbias.,v

While only preferred embodiment-is shown tand describeidfittothe-understood thatfmany ;zmodi-iications,fand changes: :mayfbefmadein: the ldevieefwithoutdepartingfrom the spirit and the 'scope of myinvention and Ipdesire to belirnited 40 t only by; -thescopeofttheappended clairri;E

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two blocks, one block having a screw threaded opening therethrough andthe other block having a drilled opening therethrough, said blocks beingand-.the otherfend of one link fot; eachblock pivoted to a supporting-lologlgV 'xe'dtat one end of said band and the other end of the otherlink of each block pivoted to another supporting block threaded screwhaving a shank portion, said screw being Vthreaded through the threadedopening of said one block with said shank portion rotatablyeandYaxially.'immovably journaled in the drilled opening of said other blockwhereby rotation of said screw varies the distance between said 'blocks`causing the distance between said `bandsend'sto.vary to vary the Vareawithin the band in order to releaseably clamp the device irl-wideband:-

Y Ws LAL-4.

The following references are @of frecordfiin y,the fileeof. thispatents. K y VUNITED STATES fra-TENTS Germanyfwwee-,e ReaA ltr 1892

